live versions vs. studio

I know there are some songs they only played once or twice (Big Fish, Sad Today, Entropy) but there are others I'm wondering about alternate versions of - like the slow versions of Laika and Authors (er, I didn't just imagine that one, did I?). were those ever performed other times?

and have they ever played the full version of Boo Time? or Bittersweet with the whole band? the "never had a girl to call his own" intro in BJ? fast Authors without "We're Moxy Fruvous from Toronto.....?"

Fly, the original jazzy version. Jian plays it this way when he plays it solo.

Green Eggs And Ham - Full version

You didn't imagine the slow Authors: I heard a minor key/funeral dirge version of the song. What a riot.

Have they ever played the YWGTTM version of Message?

There is the lounge Spiderman and full band I Love My Boss.

Have they played Love Set Fire full band?

How about Horseshoes, Wood version (Piano)?

here *are* some.

;)

There's also Grunge of Spain, Big Black King of Spain

Have they ever played the YWGTTM version of No No Raja (with the strings)? Have they ever played *anything* with strings?

the jazzy fly sounds interesting. i wanna hear!

Have they ever played the YWGTTM version of Message?

I'm pretty sure this exists somewhere...

There is the lounge Spiderman and full band I Love My Boss.

full band Boss?

Have they played Love Set Fire full band?

well, the original performance at Frucon 1 had guitar and violin and 4 vocals. and Jian played some drums briefly on it at the house party, but it's never been "like the album"

How about Horseshoes, Wood version (Piano)?

when they first got the Poland, they did it this way. piano and electric guitar. it was... a little weird. I did see them once do the song Wood style but playing the intro on the acoustic guitar - it was at a Wood intro show, so it made sense.

THey've done a version of Boss where they sing the song, then right before the end, they break out into a full band version of "Brazil".

Big Black King of Spain, isn't that when Vance Gilbert is the King of Spain?

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I much prefer the album version of Horseshoes. The bulk of the song is pretty much the same, but I think it's stronger opening on "My sister sue" than "Look straight". For me, it changes the whole tone of the song.

And I know I'm alone in this: I'm not a huge fan of the live, a capella Message. It's well done and all, it's a good version, but it doesn't do much to me after the second or third time hearing it.

Horseshoes with Piano... see the 2/6/99 Philly show or 10/24/95 at the Iron Horse among several ohers.

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I much prefer the album version of Horseshoes. The bulk of the song is pretty much the same, but I think it's stronger opening on "My sister sue" than "Look straight". For me, it changes the whole tone of the song.

for me, it's more that the album version is about 5bpm faster. the live version is way too slow.

And I know I'm alone in this: I'm not a huge fan of the live, a capella Message. It's well done and all, it's a good version, but it doesn't do much to me after the second or third time hearing it.

it's sure better than the version on YWGTTM, though. ick. but personally, I don't care much for that song in general, so there's only so much any version can do for me.

I rather like the YWGTTM Message, meself. I don't really favor one version over another, but I do like the studio one.

As I think about it, I think I agree with the Horseshoes comment, too -- I like it without the extra chorus at the beginning.

-- Pauley

I'm divided on Horseshoes.� On one hand, the studio album has got that lovely piano intro, and I also like it opening on "My sister Sue" (by the way, do any of them have a sister Sue?)� Plus the piano is delicious the whole way through.

But live . . .I have to say I *like* it slower, and the background vocals are so much richer.� Like on the last chorus, right after "I already knew the words," Jian sings alone "Look straight at the comin disaster" and then there's like this *explosion* of ahhhhhhs in the background that slide down the scale.�Gives me goosebumps every time.�The same arrangement is there on Wood. But it's not as powerful.�

I've never heard nor heard OF that.

They played Boo Time a few times more or less the way it is on the album when they were first trying it out. I saw it that way once in Cleveland. That may have been the song's debut actually.

Jazzy fly? I don't see what is jazzy about Jian's solo fly. Also I don't believe he sings the extra verse that was in the original.

As for Message, it developed out of a jam version that they used to do sometimes when they needed to change strings or somesuch, as I recall. I don't know if I've ever heard them do it with the synth and stuff the way it is on the album (although I'm pretty sure that they did at some point) but I have heard it done just straight ahead without the a capella.

Slow version of Laika? Hmmm. Haven't heard of that. Laika is a rarity in and of itself.

Back in '95 they used to do a medley of Darlington Darling that went right into Jockey but then came back to DD at the end.

Also they used to begin Love Potion #9 with the "They serve if up, we drink it down" intro from Tory Potion #9

Yep, and Borders in Ann Arbor, MI in 1999ish.

it's on the Wood sampler tape, from a live show in... Halifax.

Not surprised you don't remember ;) One doesn't usually recall things done in Halifax :D

Me either. Are you sure you didn't dream it, John?

shhhhhhhhh!

Oh is that slow? I have that tape, but I think I've only listened to it once or twice.

I think what they mean by "jazzy" fly is that it's slightly more upbeat, due to the fact that he's not finger-picking, and also that after the chorus (although I don't remember if he does this solo, but it was in the old version the way they used to play it) there are 3 descending chords leading back into the verse. The chords remind me intensely of Beau Dommage.

I swear I didn't dream this.� They played Brazil!

I don't even want to *think* about "Jian's solo fly".����

What, you mean that time he tried to cross the Atlantic, and disappeared without a trace?